It would be easy, watching the scene, to conclude that Gronkowski is just a big frat boy. And he is, but he is also a gracious, joyous one. He didn't hide behind designer sunglasses or check his phone or in any way act cooler than anyone else. Even when he lost at beer pong (teamed with the birthday girl) and, after that, flip cup (3--2 in a best of five), he didn't pull rank or get upset.

Gronkowski is aware that his "Summer of Gronk" has become a meme. But he still went to the event because, as his dad told Ballard, "He's being offered stupid money. He can't turn it down."

And that leads to another interesting revelation from the article: Gronk is never going to go broke.

He keeps his money in municipal bonds, lives in a modest house in the suburbs near Gillette Stadium, and still wears his high school clothes.

But if he keeps making five figures for one-hour appearances, we'd expect some of that might change.